Improvement in making gutta-percha hollow ware



'Which distinguishes it from all other things and for this purpose I use any of I the known percha during this part of theprocess should .enheits scale, whichdegree of heat is best H and adhesive, so the the end" can be closed upperend I insert the end of'a metal pipe face of the mold. Iv continue .the pressure of H mold may be made in a single piece, or it may ill 'UNiTED STATES PATENT @FFI E.

SAML. T. ARMSTRONG, OF new YORK, N. Y.

. lMPROVEfMENTlN MAKING GUTTA-PERCHA HOLLOW WARE.

e ccincation forming part of Letters Patent No. 8,180, dated June 24, 1851.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, S. T. ARMSTRONG, of the city, county, and State" of New York, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in the Process of M uufactnri'n g Hollow Ware or Articles of GuttatPercha; and I do hcrebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle or character before known, and of the method of making, constructing, and using the same.

My improved process is applicable to the making of all kinds of hollow articles which can be formed inmoldssuch as bottles or articles which may be made hollow-of guttapercha or gutta-percha compounded with other substances.

After the gutta-percha alone or compounded with other; snbstanceshas been properly cleansed and prepared in any known or appro'- priate manner,-it isito be formed into a pipe or tube, in the manneraof making lead pipe,

machines for making lead pipe. The gottabe kept at a temperature of about 150 of Fahrpreserved by applying heat to the exterior of the cylinder of the machine, as is sometimes practiced in the manufacture of lead pipes. Asthe gutta-percha pipe issues from the die of thejmachine in a heated state it is plastic by pressing it togethe- I then cut off a piece of the length requiredland insert it in a mold such as is used for molding glass, with the. closed end downward; and after opening the connected with a hydraulic apparatus and force in water under sufiicient pressure to expand the gutta-peroha until the external surface is broughtin contact with the entire surwater until the gutta-percha is cooled and set, and then I remove the pressure'and takethe article out of the mold, when it will be found to have taken the exec form. of the mold, of whatever figure it may be. i

{If the form of the article admit of it, the

be made in two or more parts, dependingon the. form of the article to be molded; and if the article to be produced is to be made with a neck, when the piece of gutta-percha pipe is put into it the upper or ope end is to bepre pared for the reception of the water-pipe by first inserting a conical plug into it until the external surface isforced out against the mold 4 and the inside is made suflicieiitly large to receive the water-pipe; .but it the article to be produced be without. a neck, then the gutter: V

percha pipe is to be cut of greater length, and

the open end" is bound around the nozzle of the water-pipe to preventthe escape of water when pressure is applied. When thearticle has-been formed the surplus is then cut off and the edge properly trimmed.

Bottles, vases, tumblers, powder-flasks, and such articles can be made in tliisway to great advantage and of great" beauty, as the mold can be ornamented and chased in any way to suit 'fancy, and, however figured, if sufiicient pressure besapplied thelgutta-percha willgreceive the .impression of the entire figure...

the gutta-percha is cooled bfv forcing item water to expand it, it will be set in the mold and retain the form thereof.

Many articles which are'not required to be,

but which admit of being,made hollow-such as ornamental figures-may be advantageously quired, after such articles have been molded the nozzle through which the water was introduced can be properly trimmed and closed up.

- What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the process above described, is-- p The method, substantially as described, of molding articles of gutta-perhaopthe compounds of gutta-percha with other substances by first making the same in the formof a pipe, and while in a partially heated and plastic state molded by my improved process, and, if regiving to it the form required in a mold by tbrcing a liquid inside to expand the gutta-percha, as described. 3 v p S. T. ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses: 7

Guns. J. GILBERT, (3.113s. Beownu. 

